


Old Soldiers

by Regina_Wren



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Background Femslash, Gen, Post-Children of Earth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-05
Updated: 2010-08-05
Packaged: 2019-10-10 03:12:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17417951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Regina_Wren/pseuds/Regina_Wren
Summary: Lois and Gwen in Gwen's kitchen, where Torchwood Three is finally being shut down.





	Old Soldiers

Gwen held out her hand.

Suppressing a sigh, Lois reached for the gun at her waist, the weapon she had only carried for a few months and was already growing attached to.

As soon as Gwen's fingers closed around it, it hit her. This was all really happening. Torchwood was over.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked. "You've saved so many lives."

Gwen was already taking the gun apart like an old pro. "I'm sure," she said. "It's time."

Lois glanced around at the computers, parts, and alien gadgets strewn across Gwen's kitchen bench. Extra terrestrial artefacts gleamed in the sunlight, making them look even more out of place than she knew they were. Alien fingerprints in a cosy little Cardiff flat.

Next to the bench stood several armoured boxes for storage, and in the corner of the kitchen stood a cradle on wheels where Gwen's newborn daughter slept.

"The rift's gone," Gwen continued. "There's no more reason for Torchwood Three to be here. Cardiff's just like every other city in the world now. No more aliens. No more time anomalies."

Lois watched her pack away the pieces of her gun, saw the barrel with its "Torchwood" engraving get locked away, probably forever. The last three months felt like a dream. Had she really run through Cardiff at night chasing Weevils, disarming giant bats, convincing a thirteenth century monk that he wasn't in hell?

She picked up a stack of files to pack away. The large eyes of an Episcorpion gazed up at her. "I remember catching one of those," she said.

Gwen shoved another box off to the side and smiled. "Yes. You helped save some lives too, you know?"

"And I'll never be able to tell anyone about it. Not even Julie." That hurt the most.

"No."

True, Lois had known that when she signed up for Torchwood, but she hadn't expected for it to be so hard. For a brief time a window had been opened from her life onto the stars, and there was no one the share that with but Gwen.

Now she was going to have to turn away and forget it was ever there. Just three months ago she'd never even held a gun. Now she was a completely different person.

"Torchwood changed me," she said.

Gwen nodded, a peculiar expression on her face. "Me too. And now we'll never be the same people again. But you have to try and go back to your old life. Before Torchwood ever came along."

"Easier said than done."

Gwen smiled at her. "I know. Believe me, I know. But this city doesn't need us anymore."

Lois laughed. "You make us sound like a pair of old soldiers."

"Well, I suppose, in a way, we are. We fought a war and now it's over, and we need to learn to live in the real world again."

Gwen and Lois continued to pack in silence. Files and artefacts disappeared into containers. One by one the last paltry bits and pieces of Torchwood were locked away and secured.

"What about all this?" Lois asked when the last box was sealed.

Gwen brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I don’t know. It'll go to Torchwood Two up in Scotland. Or UNIT maybe. It's up to Her Majesty to decide."

Lois nodded. "Right." She took a breath. "Well, I suppose thank you for letting me help you, even if it was only three months. The second shortest job I've ever had."

Gwen looked from the boxes to Lois, a sad look on her face. Lois had been impressed by her since they had first met, and perhaps even developed a little crush on her. Brave, determined Gwen; Lois would have to have been straight as well as made of wood not to be affected. But she'd never seen Gwen look so lost as she did now.

When Gwen came forward and hugged her, Lois understood only too well.

"Thank you," Gwen said, stepping back. "For everything. You've been amazing."

"So've you," Lois returned. "It's been amazing, all of it."

Gwen swiped at her eye, dashing away a tear. "Bugger."

Lois felt the prickling of tears herself and had to laugh. "Old soldiers, right?"

"Right, and crying like children." But Gwen was smiling nonetheless. "Go on then. Get out of here. Find a proper job and live a long, happy life with your partner. Believe me, it'll be a lot easier to do that without Torchwood in your life."

Lois stepped back and cast another long look around the kitchen, so much like any other except for the boxes on the counter. Her heart still felt heavy, but there was something exciting about facing the unknown too. Who knew what else was out there?

Her eyes fell on the cradle.

Maybe even that. She'd always wanted a family one day.

"Are you going to tell her?" Lois asked. "When she gets older? About Torchwood?"

Gwen glanced over at little Anwyn thoughtfully. "I don't know. Can't have her running off to tell the entire playground."

"I think you should tell her all your stories," Lois said. "Trust me, a kid talking about aliens won't cause much surprise. Julie once taught a class with a boy who was convinced his father was a vampire."

"Was he?"

"He was a shift worker."

Gwen laughed.

Lois took another step back. She picked up her handbag, hitched it over her shoulder, trailed her fingers along the strap. "Keep in touch?"

Gwen nodded. "Of course."

Lois turned slowly, heading back towards the front door. She'd almost reached it when Gwen called her name.

When she looked back Gwen stood alone in the centre of the kitchen, leaning one arm on the overcrowded bench. "If it doesn't work out for you," Gwen said, "look up Dr Martha Smith-Jones. She's a freelance alien hunter. She can always use help."

Lois filed the information away in the back of her mind. Just in case. "Thanks."

Gwen nodded.

Out on the street, Lois stood for a moment to take in the sunshine and the fresh breeze coming in off the bay. It was almost as sweet as the day she'd left prison and felt her life stretch out vast and empty in front of her.

There were still other groups out there defending the earth, and in the face of unemployment again, the world was wide open to her. On the other hand, Julie was at home, the beautiful woman who had uprooted everything to move to Cardiff with her, all for a job Lois couldn't even tell her about.

She thought about the possibilities, glancing down the road in both directions. There was not a car in sight. Then she turned left and started walking.


End file.
